The SOL Republic Amps Air 2.0 true wireless earbuds sound and operate much like the originals, with big bass, sculpted highs, and a disappointing user experience.

The SOL Republic Amps Air 2.0 true wireless earbuds are the latest model in the company's wire-free line. Compared with the first model, which we reviewed in 2016, the biggest change is a lower price, down almost $50 to $129.99. Audio performance is about the same, with powerful bass matched with wildly sculpted highs. Unfortunately, many of our issues with the first pair remain, including weak battery life and a lack of navigation controls. SOL Republic touts improved communication abilities and a faster pairing process, but ultimately, the only real improvement here seems to be the price, and there are more compelling options in this range.

Design

The Amps Air 2.0 earbuds retain the same cool design as the previous iteration, with ridged, almost seashell-like contours and shiny metallic outer panels. Available in black, blue, gray, or rose gold, their size and lightweight design help to them stay in place, theoretically making them good for exercise.

I say theoretically, as the earbuds have one of the lower advertised IP ratings you'll find—IPX4. That means they're protected against splashes, but can't be submerged or exposed to water pressure or jets (like a faucet running at a powerful level). To put this rating in perspective, we consider IPX5 to be decent, but not ideal, for exercise-focused in-ears. IPX4 is close to the bare minimum protection you can claim—so if you like to wear your earphones in heavy rain or wash them in the sink, you should think twice about these.

As for on-ear controls, our complaint with the original remains here: Why are there almost none? You can't control volume or skip tracks. You can only play/pause, summon Siri or Google Assistant, or handle phone calls. The buttons are easy to misfire, as well—putting the paired earpieces in your ears will almost certainly lead to accidentally pressing play immediately.

The charging case is on the large side and feels sturdy. The earpieces snap into place magnetically and their LEDs light up red when in charging mode. We found the pairing process to be quick and simple.

The mic offers average intelligibility. Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 6s, we could understand every word we recorded, but there were fuzzy audio artifacts and the mic sounds distant, which are common issues with most Bluetooth in-ear mics.

You get four pairs of silicone eartips that range in size from extra small to large. Other than the charging case and the micro cable that connects to it, these are the only included accessories.

Battery life is an issue across the board for true wireless earbuds, but the Amps Air 2.0's estimated battery life of three hours is about as weak as it gets. True, the charging case stores up to 45 additional hours, but these numbers are estimates that will vary with volume levels. To be fair, the additional 45 hours of battery life that the case holds is among the higher amounts we've seen, but that seems like a consolation prize for dealing with the three-hour lifespan of the earphones themselves.

Performance

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver a powerful low frequency that doesn't distort at top volumes and sounds strong at moderate volumes. For those who want a subwoofer-in-your-head sound signature, this comes close, but there's enough sculpting in the high-mids and highs to keep things balanced.

Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the general sound signature. The drums on this track get some extra boosting in the lows, for certain, as do Callahan's rich baritone vocals, but there's also a notable high-mid and high frequency presence. The highs sound sculpted and boosted, pushing the treble edge of the vocals and the attack of the acoustic guitar and higher-register percussive hits to the fore. The overall sound signature isn't for those seeking accuracy, but is well balanced despite the boosting.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives plenty of high-mid and high frequency presence, pushing the attack of the drum loop forward and allowing it to retain its punchiness. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with solid depth, anchoring the crisp sound signature, while the vocals are delivered cleanly and clearly.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, are noticeably boosted and sculpted—the lows are louder and the highs are brighter than they would be naturally. It doesn't sound awful, but this is not an accurate sound signature. Anyone seeking powerful deep bass response with crisp highs to match will not be disappointed, but the rest of the package underwhelms.

Conclusions

The original Amps Air were $180. The Amps Air 2.0 cost $130. That, in a nutshell, is the most improved feature here. So why doesn't the price drop result in a higher rating? Because the rest of the true wireless field has stepped up its game since 2016, and SOL Republic has not. Our recent favorite wire-free in-ears are the RHA TrueConnect, which offer far better sound, a higher IP rating (IPX5), longer battery life, and far superior on-ear controls. We also like the Jabra Elite Active 65t and the Bose SoundSport Free. If you're looking to spend less, meanwhile, check out the Altec Lansing True Evo.

SOL Republic Amps Air 2.0

SOL Republic Amps Air 2.0

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